A Dhaka Court on Thursday sentenced 72 year old Khaleda Zia to five year jail term on being found guilty of corruption. The verdict was read out in a court in Dhaka. The sentence deters her from contesting parliamentary elections this year.

Former President of Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was arrested by the police on Monday, February 5. The arrest took place hours after President Abdulla Yameen declared a state of emergency for 15 days, following a tussle between the government and the country's apex court. Gayoom, who is Yameen's half-brother and ruled the country for 30 years until 2008, was arrested at his residence, along with his son-in-law, reports say.

President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades was on Sundayre-elected for a second term. The official final result after a second round run-off put the conservative incumbent on 55.99 percent of the vote in the Greek-majority European Union member, ahead of Communist-backed Stavros Malas on 44 percent, reports say.